1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a power semiconductor module and, more particularly, to such a module having a housing, at least one substrate carrier, preferably arranged in a recess of the housing and laterally enclosed by the housing, with a power-electronics circuit arrangement constructed thereon and electrical terminal elements extending therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
By way of example, a power semiconductor module generally of the inventive type is disclosed in German Patent No. DE 101 00 460 A1 has long been known in its basic form. Such known power semiconductor modules have a substrate carrier which forms the lower termination of the power semiconductor module. The module includes a housing formed of insulating material and protrudes slightly above the substrate carrier on its longitudinal sides, thereby enclosing it. Such substrate carriers are frequently formed as a flat molded metal body, preferably of copper. This results in low thermal resistance with effective spreading of the heat for dissipating heat from the power-electronics circuit arrangement to a cooling component.
According to the prior art, it is also known that the substrate carrier is bonded to the housing in order to prevent the outflow of a liquid insulating material from the housing, when the housing is filled with such a liquid insulating material, for example a silicone rubber. Furthermore, the housing is connected to the substrate carrier by means of metallic rivet connections. These rivet connections are constructed as hollow bodies with a continuous recess in order to also enable the power semiconductor module to be attached to a cooling component by means of a screw connection. According to the prior art, these rivet connections are preferably made of brass since the lead component of the brass allows for a certain deformation.
On the substrate carrier itself, the circuit arrangement of the power semiconductor module is insulated from the carrier. In this context, various circuit arrangements with power transistors, power diodes and/or power thyristors are known. The circuit arrangement is insulated from the substrate carrier by insulating substrates, for example DCB (direct copper bonding) substrates.
Various types of connection elements for load and auxiliary connections, for example control connections for controlled power semiconductor components, are known. Various technologies for connecting these connection elements to the substrate or the power semiconductor components of the circuit arrangement are likewise known. Soldering connections, pressure contact connections and/or pressure sintering connections are particularly preferred.
What is disadvantageous about known power semiconductor modules is that the substrate carrier is connected to the housing both by an adhesive bond and a riveted connection, which ensures a secure connection but may also be complex to manufacture.